Taxus plant named ‘SMNTHDC’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Taxus cultivar named ‘SMNTHDC’ is disclosed, characterized by upright growth, a compact branching habit, and fresh yellow-green and green foliage. The new cultivar is a Taxus, suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Taxus x media.

Variety denomination: ‘SMNTHDC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by theinventor to produce new forms of Taxus x media. This new variety,hereinafter referred to as ‘SMNTHDC’, was discovered and selected by theinventor Timothy Wood at a commercial nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. in2006. The new variety is a result of an open pollination. The femaleparent is the unpatented variety Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’; the pollenparent is unidentified.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, softwood cuttings were taken at the same nursery in GrandHaven, Mich. in 2011. The inventor continued controlled testing andpropagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of thisvariety. At least seven generations have been reproduced and have shownthat the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced trueto type. First public access to plants of the variety occurred duringAugust of 2018 in the United States. This offer came directly orindirectly from the inventor, qualifying for the exception allowed under102(b). Previous to this sale, although the variety may have beenpublicized in print, plants were not available to the public forpropagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SMNTHDC’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘SMNTHDC’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘SMNTHDC’ as a new and distinct Taxus cultivar:

-   -   1. Fresh yellow-green to green foliage color.    -   2. Distinctive narrow columnar plant shape.    -   3. Rapid growth.    -   4. Suitability for container cultivation.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘SMNTHDC’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the parentvariety. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SMNTHDC’ however, differ in thefollowing:

-   -   1. New variety is more compact than the parent.    -   2. New variety is narrower than the parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

In addition to the seed parent, ‘SMNTHDC’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Taxus x media ‘Matinecock’, unpatented. The varietiesare similar in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of‘SMNTHDC’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. New cultivar is larger in diameter than this comparator.    -   2. New variety has lighter green foliage than this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical plant of‘SMNTHDC’ grown outdoors in Grand Haven, Mich. The plant isapproximately 5 years old, and is shown in the ground. The photographwas taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2015 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘SMNTHDC’ plants grown outdoors in GrandHaven, Mich. Plants are approximately 2-3 years old, in a #3 sizecontainer. Measurements and numerical values represent averages oftypical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Taxus x media ‘SMNTHDC’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to rooting: 30 days at approximately 10° C.-   Time to produce a rooted cutting: 3 months.-   Root description: Fibrous, thick, dense, freely branched. White or    tan in color, not accurately measured by R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright.-   Height: 68 cm.-   Plant spread: 39 cm.-   Growth rate: Rapid. Approximately 40-50 cm per year until mature    height of about 300 cm.-   Branching habit: Upright, compact.-   Basal branching: None.-   Pinching required: Some.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—Average 15 to 18 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Color.—New growth: RHS Green 143C. Mature growth: RHS            Greyed-Orange 165A.        -   Appearance.—Round.        -   Aspect/angle.—0°.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Pubescence.—None.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Length.—56 cm.        -   Diameter.—8 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Internode length: 5 mm.-   Trunk bark:    -   -   Color.—Near RHS 200C.        -   Texture.—Scaly, slightly peeling.

FOLIAGE

-   General description: Needle-like, imbricate, slightly appressed.-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.        -   Shape of blade.—Linear, needle-like.        -   Average length.—2.5 cm.        -   Average width.—2 mm.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Oblique.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A.            Young foliage under side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A. Mature            foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage            under side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.        -   Venation.—Linear, indistinguishable from leaf blade.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—2 mm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Texture, upper side.—Smooth.        -   Texture, under side.—Smooth.        -   Color, upper side.—RHS Yellow-Green 144A.        -   Color, under side.—RHS Yellow-Green 144A.

FLOWER

-   Flowering not observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruit and seeds: Not observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility    observed.-   Drought tolerance: No tolerance for drought.-   Temperature tolerance: USDA Zones 3-9.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Taxus plant named‘SMNTHDC’ as herein illustrated and described.